Tully Kearney might have had a difficult journey to Paris 2024 but she was rewarded with a glittering gold.

The 27-year-old thought her Paralympic dreams were over after suffering a head injury last year that affected her memory and left her contemplating her future in the sport.

Vertigo kept her out the pool while she was then hit with the news she'd be reclassified for these Games, meaning she needed to compete with less impaired athletes than her previous rivals.

But Kearney is nothing if not motivated by a seemingly insurmountable challenge. She won an appeal against that ruling and then scooped S5 200m freestyle gold last night too.

She needed to fight all the way in a stroke-for-stroke head-to-head tussle with Ukraine's Irina Poida.

Poida took the early advantage - noteworthy ahead of Kearney's 100m title defence - but the 27-year-old slowly hunted down her rival to finish just over a half a second ahead in 2:46.50 to upgrade her Tokyo silver in the event.

"It's been a lot to cope with," she admitted. "It was really hard with the concussion and then the last three or four months it's been hard with the mental health issues.

"To be able to get here means a lot to me. Even a few weeks ago we weren't sure if I was going to come out and compete or how many events I would do.

"I wanted redemption and I'm just absolutely ecstatic and a bit speechless.

"I don't think anything could stop me from winning gold, it would have to be really bad to."

When the going got tough ahead of Paris, Kearney leant heavily on her assistance dog and friend Huxley, even getting a forearm tattoo of the dogs paw to remember all he has done for her.

Due to travel rules for the Athletes Village, Huxley was unable to accompany Kearney to Paris and see her on the podium, the only thing that could have made gold any sweeter.

But the swimmer made a nod to LA 2028 just minutes after winning Paris gold, citing that she will be hoping Huxley can finally be by her side in the City of Angels.

"Unfortunately he's not out with me because he hasn't travelled internationally with the team before so he isn't allowed to come," she said.

"But hopefully by the next Games he will be out with me by my side. He's a very good swimmer himself."

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